During the production of rocket fuel, gun propellants, explosive devices and pyrotechnic devices, various waste materials are generated which must be destroyed, typically by combustion, or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. Combustion of many of these materials occurs extremely rapidly generating large volumes of toxic waste gas products which must be treated before release to the environment. While many of these materials can be burned without detonation, there almost always is a risk that detonation may occur. Because of the potential for transition of the waste materials from controlled burning to uncontrolled detonation and the tremendous volume of exhaust gas products produced during combustion in a very short time, current practice is to ignite the waste material in an open container so that the exhaust gas products from the combustion are simply exhausted into the atmosphere. Even though the exhaust gas products may contain unburned waste and particulate materials as well as hazardous or toxic components, open container burning of such waste materials has been an acceptable procedure due to the possibility of transition to detonation. However, open burning of these materials is environmentally undesirable and pressure for acceptable alternatives is building.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system suitable for thermally destroying energetic materials which ordinarily will burn yet have the potential for transition from controlled burning to detonation.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for containment and subsequent treatment of exhaust gases from an energetic waste material, the ignition of which results in a tremendously large volume of exhaust gas products.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will direct the force of undesired detonation of a waste material away from operating personnel and other equipment so that any damage from detonation is minimized.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an environmentally acceptable system for thermally destroying highly flammable waste material while at the same time providing a means to collect and treat the exhaust gas products.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the ensuing description and appended claims.